Page 10 of Feel My Love


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It was imperative Gia never find out about Nick. In theory, that should be easy because he didn’t live there. I’d never seen him around town before, so it was unlikely I’d see him in the future.

Four

NICK

Ihadn’t spent any time in my hometown since my cousin Ethan’s wedding. It was only a few months ago, when I’d slept with the wedding photographer and she slipped away in the middle of the night without leaving a note.

The next morning, I thought about asking Ethan about her, but it was clear she didn’t want to see me again. I’d run that night through my head multiple times, but I couldn’t see where I’d messed up. There was the glaringly obvious mistake—we wanted a one-night stand, but then I’d asked her to stay.

The problem was I couldn’t forget about her. Every once in a while, she’d appear in my dreams, and I’d reach for her only to come up empty. She disappeared like she was never there at all. I was starting to wonder if any of it was real. Maybe the whole thing was a dream, or I’d imagined her.

It was one great night. Never to be repeated. If only I could get that through my head.

“Brody settling in okay?” Ethan asked as the boys warmed up on the field, tossing balls back and forth.

“As good as can be expected.” I moved back home because that’s where my brother, Austin, lived with his son, and my nephew, Brody. I’d moved away, wanting to escape my brother, even for a short time, but I always came back to clean up one mess or another. Brody needed me, and I didn’t want to interrupt his schooling.

“His dad being held without bail has to be tough.”

“I think it might be better for Brody. This way, I can step in and be his guardian. There’s no question. Austin isn’t flitting in and out of our lives.”

“I guess.”

I could tell by Ethan’s tone, he wasn’t convinced.

“Thanks for helping out.” Before I moved to Annapolis, I researched travel baseball teams. The local 8U travel team didn’t have a coach, so I volunteered. The only problem was I didn’t have anyone to ask to be my assistant besides Ethan.

When I picked a team, hopefully other parents would step forward. In the meantime, it was just Ethan and me when he had time.

“We’re not too late, are we?” a woman with dark hair pulled back into a slick ponytail asked Ethan.

My breath caught in my chest. She looked like the photographer I’d slept with at his wedding—Abby.

“We’re just getting started. What’s your son’s name?” Ethan asked, grabbing his clipboard.

“Hunter Langley. I think we met at your wedding. I was the photographer.”

Before Ethan could respond, I stepped closer, my heart pounding in my chest. “Abby?”

Her eyes widened as her gaze flitted to my face. “Nick? What are you doing here?”

“I’m the coach.” I wasn’t sure how to process that moment because I was the guy in charge. The one who was supposed to evaluate the kids today. I didn’t have time to ask her questions about why she left the hotel room that night without a note, a kiss, or even an explanation. Besides, I was very aware that Ethan was watching our interaction.

Her forehead wrinkled. “My son is trying out for the team.”

She took a step back like she wanted to bolt.

“You’re in the right place,” Ethan said reassuringly.

I needed to stop thinking about our night together. “What was his name?” I took Ethan’s clipboard and the pencil, eager to have something else to focus on.

She licked her lips. “Hunter Langley.”

Had she told me about having a son that night? I thought I’d have remembered that detail. I hadn’t had that much to drink, and I’d racked my brain for any personal detail I could use to find her without alerting Ethan.

My stomach rolled. Was she married? I never caught her last name, so I wasn’t sure if it was the same as Hunter’s. I wouldn’t let my gaze drift to the ring finger on her left hand.

Instead, I focused on the boy standing next to Abby, Hunter. He had sandy blond hair and blue eyes. So different from his mother’s dark locks.

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